Motor-vehicle.



2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905.

W. F. SMITH. MOTOR VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 12. 1904.

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No. 799,100. PATBNTED SEPT. 12, 1905.

W. F. SMITH.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT 12, 1904.

2 SHBETS-SHEIIT 2.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1905.

Application filed September 12, 1904. Serial No. 224,188-

To all 1072,0112, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roodhouse, in the county of Greene and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor-Vehicles; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in motor-vehicles, and more particularly to those operated by spring-motors.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine of this character which will be simple in construction, durable in use, efficient in operation, and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

ith the above and other objects in view my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of devices hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of an automobile or motorvehicle constructed in accordance with my invention, the body-covering and sides being omitted to more clearly disclose the working parts of the machine. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the same, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the gear-clutches.

Referring to the drawings by numeral, 1 denotes the body or frame of my improved vehicle, which is substantially rectangular in form and comprises two longitudinal side beams 2, connected by end cross-beams 3 and intermediate cross-beams at. At each end of said frame are longitudinally-extending hangers 5, in which front and rear shafts or axles 6 and '7 are mounted. Upon the outer ends of the front axles 6 are spindles 8, which are pivotally mounted, as at 9, to swing in a horizontal plane and are formed with forwardly and rearwardly projecting arms 10 and 11. The arms 10 and also the arms 11 are connected together by transversely-extending rods or links 12, which have their ends pivotally connected to said arms, as shown at 13. These rods or links are pivotally connected at their central point, as shown at 14, to the opposite end of an operating-lever 15, which is pivotally mounted at its center, as shown at 16, upon the center of the front axle or shaft 6. Any suitable means may be provided for moving said lever in order to swing the stub axles or spindles 8 and the supporting-wheels 7 mounted thereon for the purpose of steering the machine. The outer end of the rear shaft 7 is formed with integral spindles, upon which supporting-wheels 18 are mounted. Upon the inner portions of the hubs of said wheels 18 are provided pulleys 19 or any suitable form of rotary power-receiving element. In order to drive the machine, I provide a plurality of coil-springs 20 200, which are preferably arrangedin pairs, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and have their respective inner ends secured upon transverselydisposed shafts 21 22, which are journaled in suitable bearings 23 upon the side beam 2 of the frame. The opposite or outer ends of said coil-springs are secured, as at 24, upon the front intermediate cross-beam t and the rear cross-beam 3. Upon the outer ends of said shafts 21 22, at one side of the machine, are polygonal-shaped portions 25, upon which a suitable crank-handle (not shown) may be placed for the purpose of winding up said springs 20 200. Upon each of said shafts 21 22, adjacent to one side of the same, isloosely mounted a rotary power-transmitting element 26, which is here shown in the form of a pulley. Each of said pulleys or elements is formed with an enlarged recessed hub 27,in the bore or recess of which is provided a series of ratchet-teeth 28, which coact with a pawl 29, slidably mounted in one of said shafts,

as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. It will be seen that by means of these pawland-ratchet clutch connections said pulleys will be locked to rotate with said shafts in one direction and will be free to rotate independently of said shafts in the opposite direction. The two pulleys 26 are connected by a belt 30 or any other suitable driving connection, whereby the said shafts 21 22 are driven in unison. The pawland-ratchet clutch connections between the pulleys and the said shafts enable the shaft 22 to be driven by springs independ-- ently of the shaft 21. Upon the shaft 22 is secured a bevel-gear 31, which meshes with the bevel-pinion 32 upon a longitudinally-dis posed shaft 33, mounted in suitable bearings 34, provided upon the intermediate crossbeams i. The forward end of this shaft 33 is geared by a reversing mechanism 35 to a second transversely-disposed shaft 36, which is mounted in bearings 37 upon the side beam 2 of the frame. Said reversingmechanism comprises a hub or sleeve 38, slidably mounted upon the center of the shaft 36, between fixed IIO collars 39, and providedat its opposite ends with oppositely-disposed bevel-gears 4O 41. Either of said bevel-gears is adapted to be moved into engagement with a bevel-pinion 42 upon the forward end of the longitudinal shaft 33, and in order to do this I provide an operating-lever 43, pivoted at 44 upon the front intermediate cross-beam 4. Said lever is rectangular in form and has one of its arms formed with a handle 45, and its other arm 46 isadapted to project into an annular groove 47, formed in the hub or sleeve 38. It will be seen that by operating the handle 45 the hub 38 may be shifted longitudinally upon the shaft 36 to move either one or the other of these gears into mesh with the pinion 42, and thereby cause said shaft 36 to rotate in either direction, as desired. Upon the outer end of the shaft 36 are secured pulleys 48 or any other suitable form of rotary power-transmitting device, and said pulleys are connected'by belts 49 to the said pulleys 19 upon the hubs of the rear supporting and drive wheels 18. By means of these pulleys and the said belts the movement of the shafts 36 is imparted to the wheels 18 in order to propel the machine.

In order to control the speed of the machine, I provide a friction-brake device 50, here shown in the form of a friction-wheel 51, secured upon the shaft 36 and engaged by a brake-lever 52, which is pivotally mounted at 53 upon the forward intermediate crossbeam 4.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to Without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is w A motor vehicle comprising a suitable frame, supporting and drive Wheels for said frame, transverse shafts upon said frame, coilsprings upon said shafts having their ends secured to said frame, rotary elements upon said transverse shafts and having clutch connections therewith, a belt connecting said elements, a longitudinal shaft upon said frame, gearing connecting said longitudinal shaft and one of said transverse shafts, a second transverse shaft upon said frame, reversing clutch-gearing connecting the last-mentioned shaft and said longitudinal shaft, a lever for operating said reversing clutch-gearing, a friction-brake upon said second transverse shaft, rotary elements upon said second transverse shaft and said drive-Wheels, and a drivebelt connecting the last-mentioned elements, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM F. SMITH.

Witnesses:

JAMES T. SMITH, J. W. PHILLIPS. 

